Pastures New
by rainbow-rider
Summary: Avoiding exam revision plus a shelf of Ponies gives you this. A short one off about G3 Moondancer joining an established herd.


Disclaimer: I do not own "My Little Pony", Hasbro does. Simple as that.  
  
This is just a one off little light-hearted little fic about the new addition to my own herd. And just for the record: Yes, I am sure that Wind Whistler did sneeze and I do blame it on Skydancer's tail!  
  
Moondancer was excited. So excited she didn't even mind being bumped and jostled around next to her radio and blanket in her packaging. She was going to join her new herd, a moment she had been anticipating for what seemed liked forever. Having suffered the disappointment of being unwrapped and placed in a bedroom with no other ponies nearby on the 25th of December her heart had been lifted when a wise looking "Pound Puppy" had informed her that she would most likely be going to join what was known as the "University Herd".  
  
"That's the selected herd of Little Ponies who have travelled with HER to the other dwelling, where HER lives during term-time." The droopy-eared brown dog toy explained.  
  
Moondancer had liked the look of HER from the moment she was unwrapped and saw the smiling face and now a few weeks later she was on her way to join the "University Herd". As the jolting ceased, she strained for a view of where she had arrived and the other ponies. As she was picked out of the bag and removed carefully from her packaging she subtly looked around the room she had arrived in. It was obviously a top attic room in a terrace townhouse and from the open window she could see a fantastic view over many rooftops and in the far distance some hills where snow had settled on the summits. She didn't look for long because she was being placed on a shelf and the other inhabitants of the shelf grabbed her attention. Moondancer could hardly contain herself as she realised that they were other Little Ponies. Somehow she managed to stay still until HER left the room and only then did she take a closer look at the herd that she hoped to join.  
  
The first thing that struck her was how much bigger than her the other Ponies seemed, their bodies were chunkier, their heads larger but their legs were close to the length of her own. Moondancer felt out of place and struck by shyness as the other Ponies, now certain that the coast was clear, regarded her. A pale blue Pegasus with off-white hair was the first to speak,  
  
"Well, a new addition, this is interesting. I'm Wind Whistler. And this is our small herd, the "University Herd" as we call ourselves, it sets us apart from the others who don't travel with HER." Wind Whistler seemed to be a very proud member of the herd. "Of course, as you've been chosen by HER we will welcome you cordially, even despite your. . . erm. . .shall we say handicap."  
  
"I'm Moondancer," the small pony introduced herself, " but what do you mean handicap?"  
  
"Wind Whistler says that coz you are a fakie," a small white baby pony with bright red hair said candidly near Moondancer's feet. "Besides, everyone knows the REAL Moondancer is white with red hair and a purple streak."  
  
"Actually, I don't think she is a fake," came a voice from a shelf below, a pink Pegasus with purple hair flew up and hovered alongside the shelf. "HER put Moondancer's packaging on the shelf below next to me, it even has the Hasbro logo on it."  
  
"Of course I'm real!" Moondancer protested, "Look at my hooves, they have Hasbro on them too." The other ponies gathered round and North Star let out a low whistle.  
  
"2002 mould. Then you must be. . ." the pink Pegasus trailed off.  
  
"You're a G3!" a white unicorn finished. "That explains everything."  
  
"So what are you?" Moondancer was getting more puzzled, this first meeting was not turning out the way that she had expected it to.  
  
"We," a Unicorn with rainbow curled mane and tail announced, "Are G1s! The original 'My Little Ponies' and almost 20 years old!"  
  
"Well, some of us are older than others," a pink earthling with white splodges as her marking said loftily.  
  
"Well, at least we are not all as common as others." An orange unicorn piped up, shaking her orange hair at the pink earthling.  
  
"Oh come on Gypsy," Wind Whistler scoffed, "You're hardly MOC are you!"  
  
"I'm not as common as Cotton Candy over there," Gypsy continued disdainfully, "Nor has my mane and tail faded to a murky off-white like some ponies I could mention." Gypsy looked pointedly at Wind Whistler. "Sometimes you have to question why HER keeps some of us with her when they are significantly less rare and collectable!"  
  
The white unicorn interrupted before Gypsy infuriated Wind Whistler anymore, "You know that HER keeps Wind Whistler because she was a childhood favourite. And it is a good job for most of us that we aren't chosen purely on display or collectability value. Not one of us is MOC or even in mint condition!"  
  
"I'm proud to have been a childhood favourite," Wind Whistler turned to the increasingly puzzled Moondancer, "Myself and North Star were HER's first Ponies and I am glad that I was played with so much, I was, and still am, truly loved."  
  
Moondancer finally found a chance to ask a question, "What's MOC?"  
  
"Mint on Card." North Star explained, "Basically an unopened pony that is still in its original packaging. None of us are that of course."  
  
"Some of us are as good as!" the Rainbow Curl unicorn said.  
  
"But Rainbow Rider, that's only because HER has just re-curled your mane and tail." Gypsy pointed out.  
  
Moondancer was getting tired of the bickering from the herd, she was beginning to get a headache and felt exhausted and miserable. These other ponies were obviously much more treasured and important to HER than she would ever be. She looked across the room and out of the window and quietly let out a sigh as she saw a jet fly majestically over the rooftops of the houses. She felt another pony next to her and turned to see a small blue earthling with pink hair smiling gently at her.  
  
"I'm Bow Tie," the pony said, "Don't worry about them," she nodded back at the squabbling herd, "It happens every so often, but it soon gets back to normal again. The older ponies have a bit of a conflict between being proud to be well-loved toys and wanting to be desirable collectables. Of course, it's impossible for us to be both, but maybe someday in the future you may be able to be. I mean, HER has kept your packaging."  
  
Moondancer gave a small smile, "Thank you Bow Tie, that makes me feel a lot better."  
  
"SHUSH everyone!" Cotton Candy suddenly hissed, "Listen, footsteps!"  
  
The ponies all froze and sure enough heard the sound of human steps coming up the stairs. They quickly rearranged themselves to their original positions. North Star floated elegantly back down onto the shelf below. Just as the door was opening Moondancer realised that she was stood in a different place on the shelf to where she had originally been placed, she was now standing between Bow Tie and Cotton Candy instead of on the edge of the group. Bow Tie seemed to notice at exactly the same time and as Moondancer started to shake with worry she whispered,  
  
"Don't worry," and gave the smaller pony a gentle nudge.  
  
Moondancer watched as HER came into the room and settled herself down at her desk to type and slowly relaxed. Suddenly from further down the row of ponies she heard some sharp intakes of breath. Cautiously glancing down the shelf she saw that the rainbow tail of a yellow Pegasus was tickling Wind Whistler's nose. As she watched Wind Whistler could hold it no longer and let out a sneeze.  
  
The entire herd froze as HER looked up and towards the shelves on which they were standing. Had the situation not been so serious the puzzlement on the human's face would have been funny. Moondancer could feel her heart in her throat as HER got up and started to walk towards them. Surely she would be able to hear Moondancer's heartbeat if she got much closer. Release came for the ponies in the form of a shrill ringing from a lower room in the house. HER shook her head, rebuking herself for being silly and left the room to answer the telephone. As the footsteps receded down the stairs the ponies looked at each other. Wind Whistler gave a small apologetic smile, which turned into a big grin that managed to infect the other ponies, and soon they were all snorting with laughter, stamping their hooves and shaking their tails.  
  
As she laughed with the rest of the herd Moondancer felt that there was a good chance that she would be happy with the other ponies, despite the generation differences and the arguments. Besides, there was always the chance that HER might even get some more G3 ponies. As Moondancer looked cheerfully over the room she saw the "Pound Puppy" lying on the bed. The old toy looked up at the shelf and gave Moondancer a conspiring wink. Moondancer winked back happily. 


End file.
